I attended my first Relay For Life here in Nicholasville on Saturday afternoon, and it was nice to see so many people out braving the heat to support the cause. There are numerous different events going on this time of year competing for everyone’s time, and that late afternoon heat certainly didn’t add any allure to the scenario. 

As someone who has lost four close family members to cancer and has two more immediate family members who have undergone surgery because of it, I will be the first to decry the disease for the trials that those within its grasp must deal with, as well as those who are close to them. Cancer almost never affects just one person.

On Saturday, however, the negative connotations that follow cancer like the proverbial banner behind the plane were subdued by the positive charges of hope and support. Attending the Relay for Life event itself just felt good.

It smelled good, too, with all of the hamburgers being grilled. One of those along with a cold drink, a cup of the homemade ice cream and a seat under one of the tents in the shade made for a pretty nice afternoon treat in and of itself.

Congratulations to all of the survivors who took part in the event, and to the sponsors that made it all possible.

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I have received several pieces of feedback to the article in last week’s Journal regarding the bear sightings in the county. As long as everyone gives the guy space and respect, I agree with the Fish and Wildlife Department in their estimation that the bear will exit the area sooner than later. Hopefully, with no more aggravation for anyone left in his wake than a few piles of scat here and there to walk around.

Their stance on the bear is that it is an opportunity for the area’s younger generations to experience something that the previous few generations did not get to, as it has been many decades since bears freely roamed this area as part of their natural habitat. The animals’ population has been increasing in the eastern part of the state, and their natural springtime roam will expand westward in turn. 

We went through a similar situation in Nebraska a few years back sightings of a wolf. The extensive drought situation that struck the plains in 2012 had animals trekking into new territories—or old ones in the case of wolves, as they had apparently inhabited the area in small numbers long, long ago. A close friend of mine and current county supervisor for Valley County found tracks from the wolf in his pasture, and heard it howl one night. According to him, there was a pack of coyotes nearby howling, which led to his dogs joining in. A short time later, a louder, much deeper, and much more foreboding howl rang out that brought all other canine calls to an abrupt halt. He had no doubt that howl came from the wandering wolf.

As for our friend the bear, I hope he makes his way back from whence he came. I also hope that he bumps into a Sasquatch somewhere along the way and convinces him that Jessamine County is the place to visit. That’s the visitor I am wanting to photograph and write about for the front page!